This application discloses an invention which is related, generally and in various embodiments, to the field of containers for preparation of beverages, especially coffee and tea and to machines for automated filling of the containers.
The popularity of the single beverage server such as those sold under the trademark KEURIG continues to rise. In general, single beverage servers typically use a single serving pod, cartridge or container having a premeasured amount of a beverage substrate such as ground coffee or tea to which hot water is added. A typical brewing cartridge is a plastic container with a filter inside. A beverage substrate is packed in the typical brewing cartridge inside a paper filter and sealed with a foil lid. A typical single beverage server brews coffee or tea by piercing the foil seal on top of the plastic container with a spray nozzle, while piercing the bottom of the container with a discharge nozzle. Hot water is forced through the container, passing through the beverage substrate and through the filter. Typical single beverage containers have been criticized for the difficulty of recycling the containers and for the impact the disposable plastic containers have on the environment.
Although convenient, typical disposable single serving containers may be less desirable in some situations due to increased cost and lack of the ability to customize the type or strength of the beverage. For example, because the single serving containers are prepackaged, the selection of beverage substrates is limited. As a result, a user may not be able to use his/her favorite beverage substrate when utilizing a prepackaged single serving container. Similarly, because the single serving containers are prepackaged, varying the strength of the resultant beverage may be difficult.
Reusable single serving containers tend to be tedious due to the nature of pouring beverage substrates such as coffee grounds in a small container. Also, reusable single serving containers require cleaning that disposable single serving containers do not. As such, there is a desirability for single serving containers composed of recyclable materials and present container designs do not facilitate this.